Ignorance is bliss!

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Ignorance is bliss!
OP - February 03, 2012, 06:15 AM

Life is certainly ironic as I have become the one person that I despised for large part of it: a Kaffir. What’s even more surprising, the epiphany came as result of trying to ‘defend’ Islam in Facebook discussions. I soon became more aware of the critical and negative aspects of it, up until then I lived a sheltered Muslim life, which painted a rosy picture of my inherited faith. It suddenly occurred to me that I failed to apply the same rationality and objectivity in making conclusions with the Quran and Hadiths that I do with other texts. If I and others could criticise Allah for permitting or omitting actions and ideas that didn’t help in proselytizing and/or upholding one’s faith then Islam is not divine.

In order to circumvent these valid arguments against Islam I metamorphosed from an Islamist to a secularist- so I had a modern and reformed interpretation of the faith which didn’t arouse scorn and pity from the wider non-Muslim society. But the new label just papered over cracks, it was like saying you’re an escort rather than a whore, it’s still a seedy profession and you wouldn’t want to tell your family about it. In reality I was ignoring the clear inhumane and backward practices that are invoked from the scriptures, if Islam was meant for all times then Allah wouldn’t have allowed his final messenger to marry a 6 year old, sleep with a slave girl after killing her family, stone someone for adultery and so on. Modernists/Secularists exclaim that he was a product of his time – I suppose in order to sweeten the placebo pill - which I agree with, but certainly not ours. You can’t cherry pick something which is supposedly ‘perfect’ otherwise you indirectly admit it’s not.

Of course these ‘revelations’ doesn’t aid me in any shape or form in my practical life. As I will continue to be a Muslim, not because I fear for my life but it would break my family’s heart. Sometimes I wish I didn’t participate in these discussions online, the proverbial ignorance is bliss couldn’t be more truer for me. So after having emancipated my mind I refuse to unlock my chains, like a Caterpillar unable to open its wings as I fear what I might see when I fly away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATGgg
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Reply #1 - February 03, 2012, 06:24 AM

Hello 247read, welcome to the forums. I enjoyed reading your post and am impressed with your English writing. Looking forward to seeing your posts around here.

I also hate having to pretend I'm Muslim, and I know in the future it will cause a problem if I ever do marry because my parents won't ever allow me to marry a non-muslim despite me telling them that Islam allows marriage between Christians/Jews.

Can you tell us about your background? What's your age?
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Reply #2 - February 03, 2012, 06:36 AM

Welcome 247read.

"Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
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Reply #3 - February 03, 2012, 07:25 AM

Nice intro, welcome to the loony bin
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Reply #4 - February 03, 2012, 08:26 AM

Welcome 247 read! Great introductory post.
It's bittersweet - that moment in your mind when all the puzzle pieces snap into place and you realise you are no longer a believer. It cannot be undone. Hope you find solace here even though in your personal life you may never be able to completely reveal yourself.

Here's a trusty parrot for your troubles!
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Reply #5 - February 03, 2012, 09:12 AM

hi and welcome...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV9vdUjuWxc
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Reply #6 - February 03, 2012, 11:31 AM

welcome 247

Quote
it was like saying you’re an escort rather than a whore, it’s still a seedy profession and you wouldn’t want to tell your family about it

hope you become a regular here

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Re: Ignorance is bliss!
Reply #7 - February 03, 2012, 11:38 AM

Hello mate, nice, interesting introduction

"we can smell traitors and country haters"

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Reply #8 - February 03, 2012, 12:26 PM

yap Ignorance is bliss! but some times it is deadly and takes many lives..

Do not let silence become your legacy.. Question everything
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the beloved betrayed me and turned in to a Muslim
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Reply #9 - February 03, 2012, 01:19 PM

Welcome!

Is this correct that many people here are following traditions but not believing it? You need to study Anglicans!

Quote
Odious, despicable, hypocrite – those are just a few of the words that have been used to describe me since the publication of my book School Daze: Searching for Decent State Education. My sins? There are two, according to my critics.

The first is that I faked being a Christian to get my children into the local Church of England primary school. My plea: guilty. I am an atheist, but for at least two years before my son reached primary-school age I went along to the local church, along with my wife. And so it came to pass that our son got the school place.

My mitigation is this: whose fault was it that we had to go to church to get our son into the local primary school? I didn't choose the selection criteria that meant that half the places were reserved for churchgoers, thus discriminating against local families who did not follow this particular brand of religion. This was not a situation of my choosing. I went to church under duress, because that was the only way to be sure of a place, even though that school was literally the other side of the road from our house. I didn't pretend to be a Christian for several years because I wanted to offend anyone, or because I thought it was fun – I promise you it wasn't. I did it because I wanted my son to attend the local state primary school. Is that too much to ask?

Christians who are offended by my behaviour – and I've heard from plenty – perhaps need to become a little more realistic, because every Sunday across the country churches are full of families doing exactly what I did. If churches do not want bogus Christians coming through their doors there's a simple solution: stop using religion as a criteria for admission to state schools.

We live in a secular society. Depending which survey you read, roughly 900,000 people attend Anglican mass each Sunday in the UK, and the figure for Catholic mass is similar. That's out of a population of more than 60 million. Why do we allow such tiny minorities to have such sweeping control over our state education system?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/i-faked-religion-to-find-a-school-2093403.html

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Reply #10 - February 03, 2012, 01:50 PM

Quote from: moi on February 03, 2012, 01:19 PM
Is this correct that many people here are following traditions but not believing it? You need to study Anglicans!

Everyone's a little different and has unique challenges, but yes many Ex-Muslims, or people who were born in Muslim families but do not actually believe in Islam (traditional or other versions) any more end up having to pretend to follow the religious doctrine and perform rituals, just to appease their families and communities.

It is because of either a threat to their lives, or at least because of the immense pressure - financially, socially and emotionally - that Muslim families and communities tend to put upon their members to toe the line. Especially when they first become skeptical of religion, it is a precarious situation, similar to being LGBTQ, in that they find themselves at odds with many of the people in their environments, including the people they care about the most (parents, siblings, relatives, friends, etc.). Most go through a transitional period when they must keep their ideas to themselves, at least until they can find some way to support themselves outside their families and the surrounding Muslim communities.

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Reply #11 - February 03, 2012, 04:36 PM

Welcome to the forum!

Your introduction post actually describes my own experience!

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

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Reply #12 - February 03, 2012, 07:30 PM

welcome 247read

Quote from: 247read on February 03, 2012, 06:15 AM
What’s even more surprising, the epiphany came as result of trying to ‘defend’ Islam in Facebook discussions.

on which facebook group you used to defend pisslam ?

Disbelief doesn't justify getting tortured in eternal hell
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Reply #13 - February 03, 2012, 07:39 PM

Welcome!
If you don't mind me asking, is it that you learned things that you were not aware of or did something cause you to take a different approach on the aspects that you had been defending?
What would you say was the negative aspect of Islam that had the biggest impact in causing you to question even more?
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Reply #14 - February 04, 2012, 12:57 AM

@ -Tmp-

I was born and bred in the UK by a loving family who originated from the Sub-continent. I am too young for marriage and intend to keep my head in the ground like an ostrich regarding this matter and will cross that perilous bridge when judgement day comes calling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATGgg
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Reply #15 - February 04, 2012, 01:08 AM

Quote from: Azdaha ExMuslim on February 03, 2012, 07:30 PM
welcome 247read

on which facebook group you used to defend pisslam ?

I have withdrawal symptoms – religion is the opium of the masses after all - and still ‘defend’ Islam to this day and occasionally I do get angry when people attack it, partly because I still feel like a Muslim and I see it as an indirect insult to my family and community. I guess it’s like an ex, you remember the fond and intimate memories you shared together as a couple, even though you parted company on good terms, you still have a special place for them in your heart, some may shed a tear or two after catching a glimpse of her face that first captivated your senses into a state of delirium. Just like I do when I hear the mesmerising melody of the Quran after you have long forgotten the emotional stings in your soul it plucked so effortlessly in the past.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATGgg
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Reply #16 - February 04, 2012, 01:13 AM

Quote from: Walshark on February 03, 2012, 07:39 PM
Welcome!
If you don't mind me asking, is it that you learned things that you were not aware of or did something cause you to take a different approach on the aspects that you had been defending?
What would you say was the negative aspect of Islam that had the biggest impact in causing you to question even more?

I remember seeing the following painting

http://liberty-today.com/wp-content/themes/headlines/thumb.php?src=wp-content/uploads/2011/04/new_slaveSMALL.png&w=576&h=576&zc=1&q=90

I found it odd that Muslims were inspecting a naked woman, like piece of meat, to purchase for their sexual gratification. I came to the convenient conclusion that the artist was an ‘Islamophobe’ or these Muslims had diverted from Islam. I soon discovered these Muslim sex slave traders were following in the footsteps of the ‘Prophet’. I couldn’t understand how the messenger of God, who was supposed to be the best example for mankind, would defile a fellow human being like that. I would never contemplate committing such an obscene act, so was I superior to Mohammed, morally speaking? This sort of opened the flood gates that eventually lead to my apostasy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATGgg
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Reply #17 - February 04, 2012, 01:53 AM

Welcome to the forum 247read.

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Reply #18 - February 04, 2012, 04:18 PM

Welcome

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Reply #19 - February 04, 2012, 06:32 PM

Welcome to the forum

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Reply #20 - May 06, 2012, 01:57 AM

Just re-read this thread. Good stuff, 247.
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Reply #21 - May 06, 2012, 03:13 AM

Welcome to the forum

Sorry I hadn't noticed this intro prior to now, and anyways, I have the excuse of joining later than you

Quote from: 247read on February 04, 2012, 01:08 AM
I have withdrawal symptoms – religion is the opium of the masses after all - and still ‘defend’ Islam to this day and occasionally I do get angry when people attack it, partly because I still feel like a Muslim and I see it as an indirect insult to my family and community. I guess it’s like an ex, you remember the fond and intimate memories you shared together as a couple, even though you parted company on good terms, you still have a special place for them in your heart, some may shed a tear or two after catching a glimpse of her face that first captivated your senses into a state of delirium. Just like I do when I hear the mesmerising melody of the Quran after you have long forgotten the emotional stings in your soul it plucked so effortlessly in the past.

I've had this too, likening it to withdrawal is exactly how I would describe how it was for me too. I actually get very distressed whenever I hear the Qu'ran now, it's brings too much back, so I avoid it like the plague.
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Reply #22 - May 06, 2012, 04:08 AM

Welcome the the forum! Have a parrot

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Reply #23 - May 06, 2012, 09:15 AM

Truly truly people don't want to know the reasoning's behind what they do. They accept them as 'just something that you do' such as christenings with baptisms, baptisms were meant as far as I know to purify yourself against original sin, meaning that babies before this are sinful inherently and that without it you are destined for hell. My mother did not know this and did christen me, she was shocked when I told her. She said she hadn't thought much about it and was just a rite of passage you did. It sounded to me almost like she wished I hadn't told her as she wanted a nice view of religion (and still apologises for religion to this day even though she isn't what I would call Christian she says she is even though she does not agree with the concept of that god and is Agnostic).

Brother's gf's Daughter had her first holy communion this past month as well which I did go to. This was catholic and she wore pretty much a mini white wedding dress (she is 8-9). I was stunned cos the white is there to signal sexual purity (virginity) and I had a big problem with that (even though I am sure most people don't think of it). To me it's like girls under 16 wearing the Hi-jab which is sexualisation of children in wrong and unknowing ways.
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